Resurrection
by Doctor Robert
Summary: A story that describes and offers an explanation for the bonus characters you recieve in the Creature Campaign in FE8. Ten chapters for the ten bonus characters. Rated T entirely for being on the safe side... probably not necessary.
1. Glen

The Doctor: Hello everybody!

Canas: Greetings!

Nino: Hi!

Doc: This is my second fic... I started it a long time ago, actually. I was holding back publish it for a while, but decided to publish it now rather than later. I should warn you now that it may never be finished, but on the other hand it may be... In any case, this *should* be a ten chapter story on the resurrection of all ten bonus characters from FE8 and why and how they were rised from the dead. Pairings include: Lyon/Erika, Joshua/Marisa, Seth/Natasha, Innes/L'Archel, Tana/Cormag, Glen/Selena, and Ephraim/OC... I think I covered them all... if I didn't, I'll mention them later.

Canas: Noone is perfect, Doctor.

Doc: Of course. I should point out right now that while most of the monsters you fight in FE8 are mentioned here but I didn't use the wierd and otherwise confusing names given to them. I call them Floating Eyes, Wolf Monsters/Hellhounds, Skeletons, Zombies, Dracozombies (okay, so I used that one), Centaurs, etc. Why did I do this? 1. Only the most devout Fire Emblem fans can actually remember which one was is a Mogall or a Gwyllgi. 2. I can't remember what's what without looking on the Fire Emblem wiki. 3. I'm lazy. 4. I don't think it's a terribly big deal when we have Elibe go from a polytheistic society to a monotheistic one in twenty years and Resire is also known as Nosferatu and 90% of the names were translated funkily in FE6 and FE1/3/11/12. 5. See number 3 for further clarification.

Canas: Seems logical.

Doc: Yes it does. Also, I should not that the order of these chapters is not the same order you'd normally get the bonus characters in game (I suppose you could try getting them in this order, but it'd be reeeeeeally difficult... actually impossible... never mind). I put them in this order mostly for random, but a few for practicallity's sake (explained later on as we get to them). Well, enough of my babbling, on with the chapter!

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><p>Glen<p>

Wild rumors floated all around Magvel. Rumors about people who came back from the dead. Of course, only after one hell of a challenge. Ever since the end of the war with Grado, demonic and otherwise disgustingly undead zombies and skeletons were let loose to run amuck across the land. It wasn't too bad, not anything a local band of mercenaries couldn't handle, especially because most of the monsters were really a joke fighting anybody with more than a sharp stick. There were two exceptions, however. The Tower of Valni and the Lagdou Ruins were havens for demonic beasts and undead. They didn't really _do_ anything but hang around those two places. In the months after the war's end, they became places for strong warriors to test their mettle. Few warriors even tried to make the journey to these places and fewer still got far into their depths without having to turn back.

But it was the handful of men and women who pushed past into the deepest parts of these two places, the tippy top of the Tower and the center of Lagdou, that these rumors came from. It was said that those few that got past hoards upon hoards of creatures and undead to arrive at the center of the Ruins or the top of the Tower got to met a departed loved one. That one person that they'd bring back from the dead would then be able to live again and go home with the victorious hero.

Cormag smirked, that was a hell of a grand prize for killing hundreds of evil creatures. The corn blond haired wyvern knight didn't know for certain why he was here. Maybe he needed more proof to himself that he was a more than worthy knight, or rather former knight, that had peerless strength and skill, excreta. Maybe he was here to do some soul searching and what better place for a warrior to do just that than in a place that was regarded as a test of a warrior. Maybe he was following the wild rumors that he hardly believed. Maybe he was following a fleeting chance to get his brother back…

He loved his brother, not romantically, of course, but as his brother. As boys, they did everything together, worked, played, schemed, and dreamed. They joined the military once they were old enough, accepting the kind invitation of Emperor Vigarde. They loved their country and they loved serving it… together. They dreamed of a bright future after service in the military, of having wives and families that were close and supportive. Of course, the war and that mad bastard Valter had to end all of that. Cormag was left alone. He did the best thing he could do in the stead of his brother, it was by Cormag's lancereaver that Valter died.

With his revenge complete, he felt empty. He had abandoned his own country, he was a traitor, and he felt he had no purpose to exist. His old mentor, Duessel, tried to consul him. It helped, but he still didn't have much reason to be alive. He met the princess of Frelia, Tana was her name. It started out as a companionship and understanding from flyer to flyer, but it grew into love. She didn't seem to mind that he was a commoner, and from Grado to boot, all that mattered to her was that she was happy. He loved her, he wanted to marry her, but he needed to do something first. It might perfectly well be called soul searching, just some time off to think. Although most people would give funny looks upon hearing exactly _where_ Cormag picked for his little soul search. Tana gave one that would best any other look of confusion when he told her what he was going to do. He escorted her, her brother, and her knights all the way to Frelia just so he could promise to marry her and then take off again. Cormag knew she'd definitely be cross with him upon his return…

It was amazing how much someone could think when facing really slow, clumsy, and somewhat unchallenging undead. Cormag severed another skeleton's neck with his sword. He was alternating between the killer lance currently strapped onto his back, his silver sword in his hand, and his trusty lancereaver, the very one that he killed Valter with. He'd dismounted Genarog, his wyvern, for this last battle in the center of the ruins. The great brute still followed him in here and like a puppy, stayed right there with his master. Of course, Genarog was far bigger, more scaly, and a bit more bumbling than a dog. He was doing his best to help Cormag, however, and covered Cormag's rear, aiding him with his claws and tail. Cormag was thankful for that.

It was here, the center of the ruins, that was most complete. The stone walls looked like that of any temple around Magvel with tiny shaft-like windows to the outside. The hall ahead was what the monsters and beasts were trying to keep Cormag from. At the other end of the hall was an alter, but Cormag couldn't really make out any of the details.

He was on the last few skeletons now. With the help of Genarog, he had felled a couple of Dracozombies and the rest of the undead and demons. Now all that was left was the blasted skeletons. He felled another and twirled his sword around to face one wielding a lance. He sheathed his silver sword and drew his lancereaver. The skeleton took it's sweet time to actually lunge at Cormag, and when it finally did, he sidestepped its attack and shattered its skull with the hilt of his sword. That seemed to do the trick and the skeleton was dead… again.

Cormag looked around for more, but there was none. He looked at Genarog and smirked, "I think we did it," he said. The beast snorted, which Cormag took as a yes. Cormag turned and walked into the hall. All was quiet now, he'd defeated hundreds of zombies and skeletons and beasts, he'd passed the challenge that was these ruins. Now he walked down the hall, the only sound was his boots clipping against the worn stone floor. Genarog stood back, somehow knowing Cormag wanted to be alone. It was strange, seeing as the great wyvern couldn't stand being without Cormag not five minutes ago.

As Cormag continued to walk down the hall, he again questioned why he was there in the first place. Was he really searching for himself? Was he really just starving off self-doubt in his ability or himself? Or was he really here because he was hoping against hope, hoping for the impossible, and probably following a bloody wild goose chase?

He couldn't kid himself around any longer, admittedly, he probably shouldn't have done so in the first place. It was true that he had to do some soul searching, he had to starve off a lot of self doubt, both of those things he needed to do before he settled down with Tana. But he was there because he wanted his big brother back. He knew he was acting like a spoiled child, he knew he needed to get over the fact that his big brother was dead and gone forever, but he had heard that something impossible could be done, for one hell of a price no doubt, and he needed to be absolutely sure whether or not the rumors were true before he could even think of coming to terms with his brother's death.

He had crossed the breadth of the hall and now laid his hands on the stone alter. He was sure priests and priestesses from ages long passed laid incense here and prayed to whatever god or gods they believed in for hope. He wondered if he should pray for his brother's return for it to work, but then he noticed that on either side of the alter were door-sized passages. Cormag humored his curiosity and walked through one of the passages. Both passages lead into a single room roughly ten feet square. It was unlit except for a strangle purple veil of energy that gave off a soft light. The veil took up the entire wall opposite to the entrance. It was hard to describe what it was made of. It could be described as made of either smoke, fire, sand, or water, or rather all four of those things at once.

Cormag was no mage and had little understanding of how or what it was, but he heard… voices. Voices, dozens of them and in the faintest whisper. He'd heard of dark demonic magical… things that would possess explorers and turn them mad with whispery voices, but these didn't seem malevolent. They were too soft to make out, but it seemed like they were just making conversations, it was like hearing many people at a ball or gathering from outside the stone walls of the castle. Cormag was momentarily intrigued, but he dared not touch the veil as he feared being possessed. Instead, he lay his hands behind his back and stood against the wall, watching the veil and listening to its conversations.

He was wondering what to do next when a bubble pushed itself out from the fabric of the veil, it quickly grew and formed into the shape of a man. Then a face emerged from the bubble, as if coming out of a wall of smoke. Soon, the entire body of a man emerged from the bubble and it thereafter dispersed. It was fairly dark, like twilight, but Cormag could make out the face. "…Glen?" he asked, wishing, hoping, praying that he was real, but at the same time not believing his eyes.

Glen turned and looked at Cormag. He was exactly how Cormag remembered him, his clothing, even his weapons were on him. He smiled. Cormag thought he'd never see the kind smile of his brother again, "Hello again, little brother," he laughed happily and went to hug his brother.

Cormag smiled and embraced his big brother warmly, clapping him heartily on the back. "Brother… I thought I'd never see you again!" he said. He found joyful tears falling down his face. He smiled, the first time in a while.

"Well, that tends to happen when you die," remarked Glen with a smirk. Cormag laughed, his brother's sarcastic sense of humor was well missed.

"Indeed." agreed Cormag seriously. He let go of the hug and clapped his brother on the shoulder, leading him out of the veil room. They walked towards Genarog and the exit. He didn't care that this was impossible. He didn't care that his beloved brother was back from the dead, something that should be impossible. He was more grateful for be alive at that moment than he'd ever been. He felt full again.

But he decided to humor his curiosity once more anyway, "Brother, what is this place?" he asked, his voice echoed through the high-ceilinged hall as he cast his gaze around it. "How is this possible?"

Glen looked at his brother and smirked again, this time it was a nervous smirk. "I'm no mage, Cormag," he said, "I'm not entirely sure myself… But what I understand is, all the people that died in that horrible war, both good and bad, went to a sort of… limbo. Eventually, we get sorted out, the bad go on to receive punishment and the good go on to Paradise. Some people go to be sorted quicker than others. People linger closer to the edge of the veil between life and death than others… I'm not sure why, it might be that we didn't want to die just yet, it might be that we left someone in life that really wanted us back for some reason or another and would go through a lot to get us back…"

"Oh yes, I did go through a huge lot to get you back," nodded Cormag, "It was a rumor, really, a hunch on my part… I heard that if you go though these ruins, an impossible gift would be given… I had a lot of reasons for coming here, but I guess the biggest one was that I missed you, brother, and I wanted to see if those rumors were true incase I could bring you back. I guess that's kind of selfish of me."

Glen smiled and hugged his brother again, "No big brother in Magvel is prouder of their little brother than I am of you now, Cormag." They resumed their walk, "I heard while I was in there that you took revenge on Valter for me, and then you came all this way to take me back. Don't feel bad for yourself any more, brother. Don't think that you took me away from a great place; we've been given a great gift brother, a second chance at living the life we planed we'd live all those years ago. I'm glad you brought me back, brother." He patted his little brother on the back.

"I'm glad you're back, brother," said Cormag with a smile.

Glen's expression turned a bit more serious, "There's something more you aren't telling me, though," he said, "You've done all this for me, brother, what about you?"

Cormag stared off pensively, "You're right, in the ten months since you died… I've been empty, lost. Once I killed Valter, I had no purpose." He paused, "Or maybe my purpose was to find an impossibility, a way to get you back from the dead. But that's not all I did. I did meet a girl."

Glen smiled, "Did you now? And what's her name?" he asked.

"…Princess Tana of Frelia," replied Cormag.

Glen nearly keeled over and died again, "Princess Tana of Frelia?" he spluttered, completely surprised. He looked his brother right in the eye, "Really?"

Cormag laughed, "Tana doesn't seem to mind that I'm a scruffy South Grado commoner," he said honestly, "I'm going to marry her, brother. I just wasn't ready yet."

There was a sound of galloping hooves from outside of the hall. The brothers reached for their swords, anticipating another centaur and Genarog tensed up for another fight as well. Instead, none other than Tana appeared in the hall, riding her Pegasus, Achaeus, like a normal horse. She dismounted at the end of the hall and left Achaeus with Genarog, "You, Sir Cormag of Grado… are one hard man to follow!" she pouted nearly out of breath. She put her hands on her hips and asked, "You call this soul searching?" She walked towards Cormag.

Glen did his best to keep his amusement to just a smile. "Tana," said Cormag, "I'd like you to meet my formerly deceased big brother, Glen."

Tana stopped and turned to look at Glen. They hadn't met in person, but she'd seen him a couple of times before. She knew Glen had died, of course, and now she was looking at him as if seeing a ghost. She suddenly forgot her aggravation with Cormag. She opened her mouth a few times, but no words came out. She just stared at him for a minute or two before saying, "So the rumors are true?" she asked, looking from brother to brother, "People are coming back from the dead?"

The brothers looked at each other, "Well, neither of us are sure… but I guess it is true," admitted Cormag.

Tana nodded, "...How odd," she said. She changed the subject, "So, Cormag, are you coming back to Frelia with me?"

Glen smiled and Cormag said, "Yes, Tana, I'm ready."

"Good, c'mere then," she said, drawing her sword.

Cormag hesitated, but then proceeded, "Kneel," said the Princess of Frelia. Cormag obliged, "I dub you Sir Cormag, knight of Frelia." she touched her sword onto Cormag's left and right shoulders before touching his head, "Arise, Sir Cormag." she grinned, "There, now you're bound to me."

"Wait… what?" asked Cormag. His big brother laughed and Cormag gave him a nasty look, "Tana, I'm already going to marry you, I already proposed."

"Yes, well," replied Tana, "next time you ask before you do some 'soul searching,' Cormag, rather than just telling me and running all the way down here without another word." She almost scolded him like a mother. "Now then, let's go home," she hugged Cormag. "Care to come along, Glen?" she asked from Cormag's arms.

Glen thought about it for a second or two, "I suppose so. I'll stay there for a while at least,"

Tana nodded and let go of Cormag. She mounted Achaeus once more, "Good, I'll knight you too then." She laughed and without another word, galloped off.

Glen shook his head. "You're so lucky, brother," he said.

"Should I take that as a compliment or as sarcasm?" asked Cormag.

The two went to mount Genarog. "I think… both," replied Glen.

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><p>The Doctor: It would be wise to use a lancereaver on Valter, whether or not you use Cormag.<p>

Nino: ...Random.

Doc: Quite. Anyway, I hope the characters were in-character and all that. I think they are, but that's just me.

Canas: It's quite alright, Doctor, I believe they are in-character too.

Doc: Hmmm... interesting. Anyway, a review would be epic.


	2. Lyon

Doctor Robert: Oh sweet baby Jesus on a Pogo Stick!

Nino: What is it, Doc?

Doc Robert: An update!

Lugh: Oh...

Doc Robert: Betcha all though I'd keeled over, eh?

Lleu: I did.

Nino: Quiet you!

Lugh: But you didn't die, did you, Doc?

Doc Robert: That's right, you bet your butt! You can't put this crazy Doctor down that easily! Muhahahaha!

Lleu: ... Okay then.

Doc Robert: Hmm... what are you doing out of your cage?

Lleu: ...Excuse me?

Doc Robert: Curious, looks like I've forgotten who my muse was for this fic...

Nino: It was me and Uncle Canas.

Doc Robert: Oh yeah... Well, whatever, call this a freeform of museness, because I think it'll be funny to have multiple characters pop up now and again.

Lugh: Yeah!

Lleu: Rock!

Nino: Oh, you boys...

Doc Robert: So anyway... this chapter...

Nino: Should we just roll the chapter?

Doc Robert: We should... Been a while since I've done this... uh... here!

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><p>Lyon<p>

Rumors, they were, just rumors. That's all her brother said they were. But even rumors need to be investigated. And what better person to investigate than the Queen of Renais? Erika was unhappy with her life. The last words of Lyon reverbed back into her brain. He had truly loved her to his death… even when he let the Demon King take over his body and wage a war that hurt everyone, he loved her. Everyone around her, even her brother, thought without saying that Lyon was a wimp, a fool in love, and even if he didn't start the war, he would be ill suited for Erika. Good riddance, they all thought.

Well, Ephraim wasn't quite that cruel. He was there, he knew. She had loved Lyon back. While it seemed common knowledge that Lyon loved Erika, Erika's returned love was somehow still unknown. Of course she confided in her twin, her brother. He understood, he always understood. Perhaps it had something to do with having shared the same womb for nine months, perhaps he was just a good brother above and beyond his duty to his kingdom and excreta. Still, throughout the months after the war and in the midst of the cleanup, he encouraged her subtly to seek a husband.

There were plenty of suitors, but none suited her. Seth, the Silver Knight, for example. Putting the fact that he was a commoner aside for a second, he would be a devout husband, a strong but gentle man he was. But she'd known him since she was a little girl. He was more than ten years her senior. All her life, he was like a protective big brother, or maybe just a body guard. She didn't quite have the heart to love him fully, not when she thought of Lyon. It turned out he was in love with another as well. She recalled one day when they met each other in the courtyard.

"Are you well?" he asked her, gazing at her with a look of brotherly concern. They sat on one of the stone benches overlooking the trimmed and manicured hedges.

"…I'm well…" she said tentatively. She was thinking on Lyon still, how well could one be when the one they had loved had died?

"That's good," he said. He looked forward a bit nervously, "I'm not one for gossip, but I take it you've heard what some people are whispering?"

Erika smiled, "Yes," she said, "Something or other about some sort of romance between us…"

"Well?" he asked, "What do you think of all that?"

She sensed what he was really asking was, "Are we in love?"

She shook her head slightly, "We both know we aren't," she said honestly, "We're both in love with another."

Seth nodded, "I had to be sure," he said thoughtfully.

"There's more, though… Even if neither of us had our heart elsewhere… We're too… close." said Erika.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked, a bit dumbfounded.

"We've known each other for a long time, Seth. Out of all the knights of Renais, Father, Ephraim, and I always were closest to you. Ever since you were first assigned to protect my brother and I, you are like a member of our family, like an older brother to Ephraim and I…"

Seth nodded, "You're right." he said.

"And I'm glad you've found someone, Seth." she added, "I know you and Natasha will be happy together."

"I hope whomever you love makes you happy too, Erika," said Seth sincerely. He didn't know who she loved, she kept that a secret.

There were plenty others she could marry. Innes, prince of Frelia, offhandedly the only one of their generation besides L'Arachel and of course Tana that got out of being leader of their nation yet. Innes was a jerk. He was neither cruel nor evil, he just was sort of the arrogant type. Besides, L'Arachel had married him anyway, mere weeks after the war. Erika supposed the light and bubbly L'Arachel was enough to make Innes a little less of an arrogant bastard. Even Tana, her best friend, was marrying. Her pick was unorthodox, but nobody objected, fearful of her might should they do so. She was to wed Cormag of Grado. Erika was sure that the scandals surrounding their marriage would drive Cormag a bit mad. Coincidentally, Cormag was the reason for Erika being here now.

Well, part of the reason anyway. Erika smirked slightly as she finally managed to take down the umpteenth Cyclops. The rumors, of course, were that certain people were coming back from the dead. She knew they weren't rumors. She'd met a man who had definitely died. Cormag's brother Glen was now living in Frelia. On one of her frequent visits up there, they'd met and Glen had spoken with Erika about something most intriguing. She already was wanting for a way to bring Lyon back. It was her wildest dream but her greatest passion. Glen had told her that Lyon was there, where Glen had been, and Lyon was whole. The Demon King had either lied or not known, but Lyon was in that place, that sort of limbo in the spirit world, with everyone else who had died in the war.

Over tea, the four of them sat in Tana and Cormag's little country cottage out by the Frelian coast, Cormag, Tana, Glen, and Erika. "You're planning on going there, aren't you?" asked Glen after the silence in the wake of Cormag and his tremendous story.

Erika looked from her best friend to the corn-blond haired knights, a worried expression on her face, "I must." she said, "I have to, he needs me… and I… I need him too."

They all exchanged flabbergasted looks. Why was it a big surprise, her love? "I guess I can understand that," said Tana, "I didn't have to go quite to the lengths you will to get your love back, but I did get all the way into the Ruins." she looked at Cormag sternly. Glen tried to contain laughter and Cormag sank in his chair a bit at the sight of her ill favored look. Tana looked back at Erika, "Erika, it doesn't matter what they all say about Lyon and what they'd probably say about you going off to those ruins, I support you."

Erika smiled, "Thank you, my friend."

"Good luck, Erika," said Cormag with a nod.

"Yes, the best of luck to you." said Glen with a kind smile.

"Thank you all." Erika said, filled with confidence and strength.

Well, now she was here, at the Ruins of Lagdou, fighting hordes of undead… alone. It was her decision to go alone. Perhaps it wasn't wise, but her brother needed all and every man of the kingdom to keep bandits from pillaging weakened villages and to supervise the recovery of the nation. Ephraim was still fairly well furious when he heard what she was going to do, especially alone. But when he saw the look on her face, when he witnessed her tears over her love, when he heard from her that she truly couldn't live without Lyon, then he understood. He gave her Sieglinde to ensure she would come out alive. It was kept secret, but no doubt the kingdom would be in uproar over her absence. She knew she had a lot to do when she got back, but right now, she was on a mission of sorts. She'd say she was the princess in shining armor coming to save her prince… a sort of reversal of the traditional tale, but that seemed a bit too cliché for her. Just a bit.

She'd long discarded her horse. He was a good steed whist he lasted, but a spear from a skeleton had ended his life prematurely. She'd briefly contemplated taming a gargoyle or a centaur, but then decided it wasn't necessary. She could fight just as well on foot as on a steed and the quarters were getting ever tighter as she continued. She was a bit of a mess. She'd brought some soap and hair care products in her satchel along with anything else she might need, but from the beginning to the end of a day, she'd get rather dirty. Her mother wouldn't approve, of course, but if she was alive, she wouldn't approve of her even learning any manner of combat training. Erika was sorry she was probably going against her mother's wishes, but at least she'd perhaps be proud of Erika for taking care of herself at the end of a day from wherever she was.

Erika had been there a good week now, fighting ever harder monsters as she made her way into the deepest, and most complete, parts of Lagdou. She was now just outside the innermost chamber, fighting the last of the Dracozombies and the numerous other undead. With her trusty rapier, which was actually the third one she'd gone through, in one hand and Sieglinde in the other, she vanquished her enemies. The chamber was quiet, the formally undead were once again dead, strewn out on the landing and the steps leading up to the inner chamber. She dodged and hoped over the variety of dead enemies, agile and lady-like in the process. She came upon the ground of the chamber itself. She started for the alter at the other end, the high vaulted ceilings echoed her booted footsteps as she ambled the long chamber.

She found the alter just as Cormag and Glen described it, with twin passages at either side, both entering opposite ends of another, smaller, dark chamber. She figured swords were no more use here, so she sheathed her weapons, at least for now. She came upon the veil, the same as it was described to her, made of an undeterminable substance and glowing purple. She dared not touch it because that just seemed like something incredibly stupid to do. She heard voices but none could be discerned, like what was described. She studied the veil for a moment, waiting for something to happen, waiting for Lyon to approach from the veil…

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><p>Describing the place beyond the veil to those who had not seen it was mostly impossible. For starters, to each individual within this place saw a different terrain. To one person, all the patrons of this place were in an elegant ballroom, to another, an open grassy field, to still another, the middle of the sea. There were so many visions of this in between place, this sort of waiting room, that it practically didn't matter. To Lyon of Grado, it was the Great Hall of Grado Keep. The tables had been removed, and there seemed to be an infinite amount of people chatting, walking around, and mostly meeting one another and exchanging information.<p>

Lyon's soul was intact again. It seemed even the Demon King couldn't completely annihilate it or perhaps he just didn't care to. In any case, Lyon was now conversing with his father, Vigarde. "But why, father? Why me?" he asked, mostly in curiosity.

Vigarde shrugged, "The one that manages to defeat enough demonic creatures receives the recently dead individual they desire back the most. Well, you're Erika's pick, as I understand." he explained to his son.

The son looked at his father, "I still don't understand… why me? I, the man who brought horror unimaginable onto Magvel. Do I deserve to be brought back? And even so, they'll hang me the first chance they get."

"The system isn't so precise," Vigarde explained, "Both good people and bad people are in this place here, both good and bad can be brought back. But besides," Vigarde looked at his son, "You were curious, the Demon King persuaded you in his nasty way, and then you were possessed by him, unable to control. Even if he cited that his motives were your desires, he brought out feelings you'd have never inflicted in real life. No, with the defense provided by those who saw you possessed, you wouldn't be hanged." He looked off for a moment, as if something caught his eye, "It's time, my son."

They started walking through the hall (or rather, that's how Lyon saw it). "Are you sure you can't come with me, father?"

"I wish I could, son," said Vigarde sadly, "But it's only meant for one person at most at a time."

Lyon approached the next sentence he'd say carefully, "Then if I'm to return…" he said, "I should probably assume the role of Emperor in your place."

"You should," said Vigarde.

"Well…" said Lyon quietly, "I'm not sure I can do the job as good as you can. I never was sure of that."

"Lyon, my son," said Vigarde, pausing to put his arms compassionately on Lyon's shoulders, looking into his son's eyes, "You have gained and grown so much. You were under possession of the Demon King and your soul emerged triumphant." he then took his arms off his son's shoulders and continued walking, "If you can survive that, you can certainly run Grado."

Lyon tilted his head thoughtfully, then laughed, "Even I can't argue with that."

"We're here," said Vigarde, indicating a veil that wasn't there before.

"This place is confusing," said Lyon honestly.

"Quite." agreed his father with a nod.

"…I suppose this is it." said Lyon, he hugged his father, "Goodbye, father."

"We'll see each other again, sometime." said Vigarde, returning the hug, "Good luck, my son."

Lyon smiled, "Thank you, father." he said, "If ever I was to need it, I'd be now." He let go after a short while. Maybe he was ready to say goodbye to his father now. Now that he knew that at least he'd see him again. He looked at his father one last time and his father gave him an encouraging smile. Lyon smiled back and stepped through the veil…

* * *

><p>Erika was near tears. Perhaps even a veil with some sort of connection to the nether world wasn't enough to bring back Lyon. Her emotions clouded her judgment and she broke down in tears. She'd grown strong in the wake of the war, strong enough to endure the horrors of death and war. But now she allowed herself to cry. She hadn't cried so hard since Lyon died at the Darkling Woods and before that when she heard her father had perished. Now she was crying because perhaps she was seeing reality and she didn't want to. Maybe it was true that she'd never get her love back. She'd never be able to admit to him that his love didn't go unrequited.<p>

She knelled on a nearby stone ledge and had her head in her arm as she cried. Whist she cried, she didn't notice that a bubble appeared from the veil and from that bubble formed Lyon. Lyon walked from the veil, his footsteps quiet enough to go unnoticed. He approached Erika and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Why are you crying, princess?" he asked, his voice calm and even.

This started Erika and she jolted her face up. She recognized the voice immediately, but still wasn't sure, "…Lyon?" she asked.

Lyon smiled, "It's me, Erika." he said cordially.

"Oh, Lyon!" she exclaimed happily. Erika hugged him, putting her arms around his robed figure. He'd changed. Well, he'd changed from what she remembered before he was possessed. Before, he'd been frail, too thin with pronounced cheek bones. He'd been perhaps only two or three inches taller than Erika, a good six or seven inches shorter than Ephraim. Now he was Vigarde's height or maybe taller; a good four inches taller than Ephraim. She could tell as she hugged him that he was now much less frail. He wasn't quite Dozla or Gilliam's build, but perhaps her brother's build. She remembered his appearence now. He appeared much like when he was possessed by the Demon King.

But she knew, she could feel that he was no longer possessed. This was the real Lyon, she was sure of it. Still, she asked, "Is it really you?"

Lyon laughed, "Yes, Erika, it's me." he said calmly, gently. He put his arms around her.

"Lyon…" began Erika, "…The reason why I brought you back, or I guess it works that way… I'm not sure. Anyway, I brought you back because… you said you loved me… just before you died."

"That's right, Erika," said Lyon, "You're right… I love you."

Erika smiled, "Well… I love you too." she said, "I always loved you. I just never had the courage to admit it."

Lyon laughed softly, "Me too." he said.

They let go of their embrace and started for the exit. "What is this place, Lyon?" Erika asked, "Why is it here that people are coming back from the dead?"

Lyon looked at Erika and said, "Lagdou and Vanni were once places where people were brought back from the dead," he explained, "That veil back there is a door of sorts between this world and the world of the recent dead. After someone dies, they are put into a sort of waiting place in between heaven and hell. The good are sorted out and brought to heaven, the bad thrown into hell. I take it you had to kill a lot of undead to get to this place, right?" he asked.

Erika nodded. Lyon continued, "In order to bring someone back from the dead, a number of undead need to be exterminated. Originally, traffic from this world and the World of the Dead was common, but that was before the Demon King and his minions. Even with his death, his minions still roam this land. Their mere presence is enough to keep the door closed, when you kill enough of them, the door can be pushed ajar just enough to let one person through. It's not very efficient, but I think it's worth it."

"I do," agreed Erika. She hugged him again, "I brought you back because of it, freed of that demon."

"Yes, you did." he said. "Thank you for that." he knelt at that point, "Will you marry me, Erika?"

Erika laughed, "You think I just went through all I did to get you back just to say no?" she asked in jest, "Of course I will." He stood again and their lips met in a passionate kiss.

* * *

><p>Doc Robert: So... does this mean I'm back, you ask? That it mean I'm going to update "Past, Present, and Future" and all that?<p>

Lleu: I'd hope so, Doc.

Doc Robert: Well, unfortunately not... Or maybe... I dunno. This chapter was sitting, unpublished, in my computer for almost two years. I had it already written when I posted the first chapter last June... o.O

Nino: How naughty!

Doc Robert: Ah, but there's reason for it. Lyon's supposed to be the last Creature Campaign character you get... But this chapter is very open to more content, implying that the other character's resurrections would follow. I fretted over the conflicting facts of canon and artistic license until I forgot about this... Now I don't care. Let's just say that the particulars of whom gets out when are different because each time it's only one character taking on the whole Tower and/or Ruins as opposed to a number of characters.

Lugh: My head hurts a little...

Doc Robert: And so it does... Another thing to address is Lyon himself. I believe that even though the Demon King ate a lot of his soul, there still was some left. It's evident in Erika's tale at least that his soul survived until he died, at which point the Demon King's old body was rebuilt and excetra. I like to think the Demon King was sloppy in his work. All he cared about was getting his body back and whatever it takes to do so, his objective wasn't specifically to eat Lyon's soul. Therefore, Lyon's soul isn't destroyed because souls are really hard to destroy (as lightly implied in the story and also this is an extention of my beliefs etc... I'll spare you that lecture XP).

Lugh: Oh, now my head hurts a lot...

Lleu: Baby.

Nino: Boys, don't make me turn this fanfic around!

Doc Robert: So yes, until next time... when I've found the will to finish this off... heheheh


End file.
